Celebrate the Month of the Young Child by Reading Stories!

By Corrie Lyndes, AmeriCorps VISTA

April is the Month of the Young Child! The purpose of MOYC is to focus public attention on the needs of young children, their families, and care providers. This is also a great time to celebrate and recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs and foster an uplifting environment for children. So, what can you do this month to support your child(ren)?

Young children have vibrant imaginations, and one of the best ways to stimulate their curiosity and creativity is to read to them! Reading to your child is also a great way to connect with them and create a bond, and has a significant impact on your child’s learning abilities. Research shows that reading storybooks to toddlers and preschoolers directly relates to their language development, emergent literacy and overall educational achievement. Often children will “read” you a story that they make up about the pictures. This mimicking activity helps children organize the story into a beginning, middle, and end. Mastering this skill helps children with comprehension and moves your child toward reading.

Engaging with your child through reading is one of the most important things you can do for them. Try to ask questions, point out things in pictures, and use the “serve and return” method. This is when a child asks a question or makes a statement and the adult expands upon it, offering more words that help expand the child’s vocabulary and narrative skills. This also further engages the child with the story and they can begin to make connections to their own life.

Did you know, even if you read only one book a day to your child, they will hear about 290,000 more words by age 5 than those who don’t regularly read books with a parent or caregiver?

According to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, reading to a child 6-7 days per week has the same effect on their reading level as being almost 12 months older. This link extends through childhood into the teen years, meaning that reading to your child as a toddler can help their academic achievement in high school! The magic of reading never dulls, but it’s of the utmost importance that young children are able to experience the joy of reading and learning. By listening to one another, sharing resources, and reading stories, we are able to create a better future for our children.

 Looking for some MOYC activities to do with your children? Here are some fun ideas!

• Plant seeds and watch them grow! Easy seed starter kits are sold at most stores, and herbs like basil and cilantro tend to grow quickly. We have a seed library and we will deliver you seeds, with a new selection every week!
• Read a story together! 
• Use chalk on the sidewalk or driveway
• Learn a song together
• Go outside and identify new spring plants and animals you see
• Demonstrate baking!  Baking is like solving a word problem as there is reading, math, and sequencing involved. Muffins or cookies are easy and quick choices!